Written Answers Thursday 26 May 2005

Scottish Executive

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made in its budget plans to support the proposals by HITRANS for improved air services for the Highlands and Islands; whether a specific amount has been set aside, earmarked or otherwise allocated within the overall transport or other budget, and, if so, what specific amount and in which financial year or years.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has allocated £12 million for 2005-06 and for the subsequent two years for the enhancement of air services in the Highlands and Islands.

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the length of public service obligation (PSO) relating to air routes should be increased from three years and, if so, what the duration should be; whether a longer period should be stipulated in the tender for any proposed PSO route, and whether a period longer than three years would provide a more reasonable opportunity to allow the public to become acquainted with the new route timetable and lower fares envisaged by the HITRANS proposal for air services for the Highlands and Islands.

Nicol Stephen: The period under which a Public Service Obligation (PSO) is governed is contained in EC Regulation 2408/92. No tender can be issued for a period in excess of three years.

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether powers will be delegated to it from Her Majesty’s Government to allow it to take decisions about public service obligations for flights within Scotland and, in particular, within the Highlands and Islands.

Nicol Stephen: The delegation of further powers in relation to air service Public Service Obligations (PSOs) would require to be agreed with the UK Government. The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of transport issues, including public service obligations relating to air flights in Scotland.

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on legal advice which HITRANS has obtained to the effect that there is no legal impediment to the creation of public service obligations within the Highlands and Islands and what advice it has received on possible legal challenges to this advice.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has not questioned the legal advice obtained by HITRANS on Public Service Obligations and has not received legal advice on a potential legal challenge to this advice.

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any challenge made within any EU state in respect of the application of a public service obligation to any air route or routes which has been put out to tender and what the details are of any such challenge.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any challenge made within any EU state in respect of the application of a Public Service Obligation (PSO) to any air route. The European Commission is, however, currently investigating whether 18 PSOs imposed by Italy on routes between Sardinia and the Italian mainland conform with European legislation.

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what study it has made of the possible economic impact of the proposed HITRANS scheme for air travel within the Highlands and Islands and how many additional jobs this might create, both directly and indirectly.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has made no specific study of the economic impact of the proposed scheme. As part of the proposal, HITRANS commissioned a study from Steer Davis Gleave which included an analysis of potential economic impacts in accordance with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance . This study produced an estimate of employment impacts of 610 new jobs directly created, and a net total of 595 jobs indirectly supported, should the full proposal be implemented.

Air Services

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Partnership Agreement proposal for a study into the possible benefits of cheaper flights in the Highlands and Islands to be implemented and whether this will be before May 2007.

Nicol Stephen: The Partnership Agreement made a commitment to fully evaluate the HITRANS’ proposals for a Highlands and Islands air network, and to work to reduce the cost of lifeline air links to and form the Highlands and Islands. Funding has been allocated of £12 million per year from 2005-06 and detailed proposals will be implemented before May 2007.

Blind and Partially-Sighted People

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Royal National Institute for the Blind report, Buy Your Own White Stick! , whether it has any plans to issue clear national guidelines on what community equipment should be received free of charge by registered blind and partially-sighted people, irrespective of where they live in Scotland, and provide the necessary resources.

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Royal National Institute for the Blind report, Buy Your Own White Stick! , whether it will fund a feasibility study into how best to reduce the cost of the more expensive pieces of access technology equipment, which no social work department currently funds and whether it will subsidise this type of equipment.

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the Royal National Institute for the Blind report, Buy Your Own White Stick , whether it will audit the joint policies of local authorities, NHS boards, housing providers and the voluntary sector to ensure that the provision of basic equipment and essential aids for use by registered blind and partially-sighted people is locally co-ordinated and in line with national guidelines.

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on what community equipment should be available free of charge to all registered blind and partially-sighted people in all areas of Scotland.

Rhona Brankin: Following the publication of the Audit Scotland Report Adapting the Future: Management of Community Equipment and Adaptations the Scottish Executive will be updating national guidance on roles and responsibilities in relation to equipment and adaptations.

  Local authorities cannot charge for the personal care they provide at home for people over 65, including the provision of devices to help memory and improve safety. Authorities have discretionary powers to charge for other care at home services. These charges should be reasonable; take account of ability to pay, and be no more than the cost of providing service. COSLA, in consultation with the Scottish Executive, issued guidance in May 2002 to address variations in charging for these services.

  Equipment provided by the National Health Service is provided free of charge.

  Overall provision for local authority funding through Grant Aided Expenditure for Community Care is £1,600 million in 2005-06. Grant Aided Expenditure allocations are not spending targets or limits and individual councils will establish their local spending priorities.

  Following the publication of the report of the Strategy Forum Equipped for Inclusion the Scottish Executive is forming an Implementation Steering Group to take forward the recommendations of the report.

  The Implementation Steering Group will be considering how best to capture the potential of technology, to create an integrated portfolio of products and services, and how best to ensure co-ordination at a local level.

Cancer

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will study the research published in The Lancet on 16 May 2005 on the relative effectiveness of MRI scanners compared with X-rays in detecting breast cancer in women under 50.

Rhona Brankin: Yes, the Scottish Executive will study the research on the effectiveness of MRI scanners compared with x-rays in detecting breast cancer in women under 50 published in The Lancet on 16 May 2005.

Cancer

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it will make to the research published in The Lancet on 16 May 2005 on the relative effectiveness of MRI scanners compared with X-rays in detecting breast cancer in women under 50.

Rhona Brankin: The research presented in the paper published in The Lancet on 16 May 2005 will, together with other research, be studied and will help inform decisions around amendments to management of women who are at high risk of breast cancer. However, it is felt that no firm conclusions can yet be drawn form this piece of research and that further evidence is required.

Cities

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in identifying and meeting the diverse needs of Scotland’s city regions.

Mr Tom McCabe: The concept of city regions, as used in the National Planning Framework and Smart Successful Scotland, assists in developing effective economic development policies which recognise the relationship between cities and their regions.

  However, our city regions face different opportunities and needs. These are recognised in, for example:

  
the new city region plans for our four largest cities, which replace structure plans;
  the support for realising different city region visions provided through the Cities Growth Fund, and
  Scottish Enterprise’s Operating Plan, which includes a diverse set of actions to promote competitive place and which allow Local Enterprise Companies to address local opportunities and needs.

Climate Change

Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review the Scottish Forestry Strategy with the objective of comprehensively addressing climate change considerations, such as through the potential for carbon sequestration and the impact that increased use of timber in construction and energy generation can have on emissions.

Lewis Macdonald: We shall shortly embark on a review of the Scottish Forestry Strategy, led by Forestry Commission Scotland. The review will encompass a wide range of issues, one of which will be climate change. The first public consultation exercise will specifically ask for views about how forestry in Scotland could play a greater role in dealing with issues associated with climate change.

Digital Technology

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will subsidise communities which have access to satellite broadband only, given that satellite broadband is more expensive than ADSL broadband.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is committed to bringing broadband access to every community in Scotland. The contract we have signed with BT will ensure delivery of ADSL services to 100% of exchange areas in Scotland (with the exception of the Western Isles where we are supporting the local wireless access project). Where we identify communities "out of reach" of ADSL, we shall work with BT to find a solution which will provide affordable access appropriate to demand.

Education

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the take-up rate has been for the Education Maintenance Allowance since its roll-out in August 2004, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Jim Wallace: Statistics on EMA, including take-up, are due to be published on 22 June 2005. Due to National Statistics protocols, we are unable to provide the information at this time as the publication date has already been pre-announced. A copy of the report will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre on the publication date.

Education

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its funding streams are able to support schemes to provide or improve local play facilities for children and young people.

Euan Robson: There are many Scottish Executive funding streams which are able to support play facilities, including funding allocated to local authorities through revenue support grant via the Grant Aided Expenditure mechanism.

  More specific funding streams include: the Quality of Life funding which supports increased opportunities for children and young people including the development of play provision and play areas; Active Schools funding which includes support for active play; the Children, Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund which core funds a number of organisations to take forward play in Scotland, and Health Department’s Physical Activity Strategy which supports play.

Education

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has made available to provide or improve local play facilities for children and young people and what proportion of this was actually spent on providing and improving play space in each year since 1999.

Euan Robson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16583 on 26 May 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search . For the specific funding streams mentioned, the allocations are shown in the following table. No information is available on how much was actually spent on providing and improving play space.

  

 
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06


Quality of Life Fund
 
 
 
 
£1.749 million
£1.898 million
£2.720 million


Active Schools
 
 
 
 
£2million
£10million
£12 million


Children Young People and Families Unified Voluntary Sector Fund
£405,000
£388,000
£396,000
£406,000
£447,000
£474,000
£474,000


National Physical Activity Strategy
 
 
 
 
£59,000
£22,000

Education

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to develop a national strategy for play.

Euan Robson: The Executive currently has no plans to develop a national strategy specifically for play.

Education

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to implement the recommendations of Getting Serious About Play - A Review of Children’s Play .

Euan Robson: The Executive has no plans to implement the recommendations of Getting Serious About Play – A Review of Children’s Play , which apply to England only.

Enterprise

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that people in the Highlands have access to the full range of training and retraining opportunities needed in a modern economy.

Allan Wilson: Ministers recognise the importance of providing an effective infrastructure to give everyone access to the full range of training and retraining opportunities. The Executive’s strategy for the Enterprise Networks, Smart Successful Scotland, sets the context for much of this activity. The Highlands and Islands Enterprise network achieve this by working with partners such as Communities Scotland, local authorities, learndirect Scotland, Careers Scotland and Sector Skills Councils.

Enterprise

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how young people will be equipped with skills for jobs through initiatives such as Project Scotland.

Allan Wilson: By developing young people’s confidence, teamworking and other soft skills, Project Scotland compliments Executive programmes - such as Determined to Succeed, Skillseekers and Modern Apprenticeships - helping develop a skilled workforce with the attitudes to exploit the opportunities available.

Enterprise

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in support of migrant workers working in Scotland on contracts of less than one year being able to open accounts with Scottish banks.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is aware that a small number of migrant workers have experienced difficulty when trying to open a bank account in Scotland due to a lack of identification. The issue was discussed with industry organisations at a meeting of the Small Business Consultative Group. Executive officials then met with the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers (CSCB) to discuss the issue who advised that in the first instance the individuals affected should contact the complaints department of the bank concerned. If necessary, the CSCB has offered to facilitate discussion of any on-going difficulties.

Environment

Rosie Kane (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its definition is of the precautionary principle.

Ross Finnie: The precautionary principle as set out in the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development states that where there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing cost effective measures to prevent environmental degradation. The principle is now accepted as applying broadly where there is a threat of harm to human, animal or plant health, as well as in situations where there is a threat of environmental damage.

  In applying the principle, the Scottish Executive has regard to the general principles of risk management set out in the European Commission’s 2001 Communication on the precautionary principle (COM(2000)1, which can found at:  http://europa.eu.int/eur-lex/lex/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2000/com2000_0001en01.pdf.

  These are that measures taken should be proportional to the desired level of protection, non discriminatory in their application, consistent with measures already adopted in similar circumstances or using similar approaches, based on an examination of the benefits and costs of alternative courses of action or inaction, and kept under review in the light of developing scientific knowledge and information on their impact.

European Union

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it has applied the European Commission’s Action Plan on Better Regulation; how many regulatory impact assessments have been conducted by the Executive; how many proposed regulations have been amended or withdrawn as a result of regulatory impact assessments conducted by the Executive, and how many pieces of existing primary or secondary legislation have been repealed or amended as a result of a regulatory impact assessment since the publication of the action plan.

Mr Jim Wallace: Under the devolution settlement in the UK, matters of EU policy are reserved to the UK Government. However, the Scottish Executive fully supports the UK Government’s response to the European Commission’s Action Plan on Better Regulation and has worked closely with the UK Government. The Scottish Executive promotes "better regulation" in Scotland through its Improving Regulation unit and in December published it first annual report which includes an annex covering Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs). This showed that 47 RIAs had been processed in the year to 31 March 2004. Since then, a further 60 have been received, 37 of which are of EU origin.

  Regulations are usually amended or simplified. It is therefore not possible to give figures for reductions in bureaucracy. The Executive works to ensure that all regulations are necessary and proportionate. In particular, for regulations which impact on business, charities and the voluntary sector, the use of the Regulatory Impact Assessment and the review Regulatory Impact Assessment help ensure that regulations are proportionate, necessary and fit for purpose when they are introduced and that they remain so over time.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2003

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-283 and S2W-15775 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 June 2003 and 4 May 2005, whether it intends to consult anyone to whom an order designating the operator of HM Prison Kilmarnock as a public authority under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 would relate regarding the effect of such an order.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15775 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 May 2005, who it considers should be consulted regarding the effect of an order designating the operator of HM Prison Kilmarnock as a public authority under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Ms Margaret Curran: Ministers are considering a number of issues relating to section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2003

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-283 and S2W-15775 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 June 2003 and 4 May 2005, why it did not carry out a consultation on the effect of an order designating the operator of HM Prison Kilmarnock as a public authority under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in the time between the passing of the Act and its taking effect on 1 January 2005.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has not carried out such a consultation because it has not to date made a decision to propose any order under section 5. Ministers are still considering a number of issues relating to the use of section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2003

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will designate Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd as a public authority under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in respect of the service it provides under the contract for the provision of prisoner escort and court custody services.

Ms Margaret Curran: Ministers are considering a number of issues relating to the use of section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Fresh Talent Initiative

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16268 by Mr Tom McCabe on 11 May 2005, what the specific date is on which the Fresh Talent Working in Scotland Scheme will be launched and, if it is not aware of the specific date, when it expects to be and why this information was not provided in the answer to question S2W-16268.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme will be launched in June 2005. A specific date in June will be announced soon.

Health

Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address the prevalence of osteoporosis amongst women.

Ms Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) published a guideline on the management of osteoporosis in June 2003 and updated in April 2004. We expect NHS boards to take account of these guidelines in the development of their services locally.

  As part of the essential services element of the new GMS contract, general practices provide care of patients with long-term conditions. Practices can identify patients with particular diagnoses through their IT systems in order to put in place appropriate care arrangements. Osteoporosis would be one such condition.

  As the Minister for Health and Community Care made clear yesterday in his announcement on the Kerr Report, we support the new approach it advocates to the management of long-term conditions. People with osteoporosis will benefit from an approach designed to address an individual’s total needs and quality of life, by providing co-ordinated care in and close to home.

Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current level of choice is for stoma patients who wish to obtain their appliances from a number of sources and how this will change after April 2006.

Rhona Brankin: Currently, stoma patients are free to have their prescriptions for stoma appliances (which are written for specific branded products) dispensed at any community pharmacy contractor or through an appliance supplier listed on a Pharmaceutical List.

  After April 2006, stoma patients will be able to obtain their appliance either with a prescription through community pharmacy contractors, or from a contracted appliance supplier with a specific order form.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the implementation of the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 under Directive 2001/20/EC will have on the establishment rate and progress of non-commercial clinical trials.

Rhona Brankin: The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 introduce new requirements in relation to the approval and management of clinical trials of medicinal products with a view to increasing patient safety. Introduced in May 2004 and coming fully into force this month, it is too early to assess the impact on the establishment rate or progress of non-commercial clinical trials.

Identity Cards

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive in what way electronic entitlement cards will be different from any UK identity cards.

Mr Tom McCabe: The entitlement card programme with local authorities is designed to help ensure that citizens get access to all of the services that they are entitled to, and that access to those services is as convenient as possible. This includes the use of a citizen’s account, where, for example, citizens will be able to access services online, and the use of a citizen’s entitlement card to provide a wide range of card based services on one single card.

  This is quite different from national UK identity cards as envisaged by the UK Government prior to the election.

  The purposes of the identity cards bill as re-introduced at Westminster this week include proving and protecting identity, demonstrating the right to live and work in the UK and supporting the fight against various types of crime, all of which are matters reserved to Westminster. Some public services – such as social security services – would in time require use of identity cards to establish eligibility. The national identity register supporting identity cards would include information about a person’s nationality and immigration status, employment entitlement and biometric data.

Justice

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the operating costs were of the Strathclyde Safety Camera Partnership in 2003-04.

Cathy Jamieson: Audited figures for 2003-04 show that expenditure for the Strathclyde Safety Camera Partnership was £2,739,688.

Justice

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its Justice Department has any plans to support forensic pathology training for junior medical staff and, if so, whether such training will include post-mortem examinations under supervision.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of forensic pathology as a vital part of the criminal justice system. We propose to fund an on-going training capacity through the creation of dedicated Specialist Registrar posts in forensic pathology. The Justice Department, in conjunction with the Crown Office, the Health Department, NHS Education for Scotland and the profession are currently working on how to establish these new posts.

Justice

Mr Frank McAveety (Glasgow Shettleston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the judicial appointments process is working satisfactorily.

Cathy Jamieson: The independent Judicial Appointments Board makes recommendations to ministers for appointment of judges, sheriffs principal and sheriffs. I consider that so far the board is working very effectively in improving the transparency of this process.

Justice

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the victim’s interests are taken into account when considering whether a home detention curfew is applied.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive is keen to ensure that decisions to release prisoners on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) take account of victims’ interests as far as possible. The mechanism for taking account of these will be a robust risk assessment process, which all prisoners considered for HDC will be subject to.

  All decisions on whether to grant HDC will have regard to protecting the public, as specified in the bill. The majority of prisoners likely to be granted HDC will be short-term prisoners. For the small group of long-term prisoners who might also be granted HDC, victims who have joined the Victim Notification Scheme will be told of their imminent release.

  The risk assessment for HDC will draw on a variety of information, primarily from the Scottish Prison Service, and criminal justice, and community social workers. This will identify whether there are any victim issues that decision-makers should be aware of that might preclude release, or which require special conditions to be included in the licence.

  An additional safeguard which takes account of victims’ interests, is the exclusion of some categories of offender from HDC, including those serving an indeterminate sentence and those on the sex offender register. The exclusions are specified on the face of the bill.

  HDC will not be granted to any prisoner who might pose a risk to those they would be living with, or who might pose a risk to the community more generally.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on where the UK Supreme Court should be located.

Cathy Jamieson: The UK Government’s preferred option is to locate the Supreme Court for the United Kingdom in Middlesex Guildhall, Parliament Square, London for the reasons set out by Lord Falconer in his statement to both Houses on 14 December 2004. The permanent siting of the Court in London would not preclude it from sitting elsewhere in the United Kingdom from time to time.

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunity it has had to make its views known to the UK Government on the proposal for a European Council Framework Decision on the retention of data processed and stored in connection with the provision of publicly available electronic communications services or data on public communications networks for the purpose of prevention, investigation, detection and prosecution of crime and criminal offences including terrorism.

Cathy Jamieson: The UK Government leads in negotiations with EU member states in all areas of justice and home affairs, including the matters contained in this draft Framework Decision.

  The Scottish Executive maintains regular contact with the Home Office on a wide range of EU justice and home affairs issues to ensure that, where there are any devolved Scottish interests, these are appropriately represented in the negotiations.

Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Bill

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose is of the ministerial powers of direction contained in the Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Bill and under what circumstances such powers might be applied.

Cathy Jamieson: The purpose of the ministerial power of direction in section 2(10)a of the Management of Offenders etc (Scotland) Bill is to ensure consistency and comparability across all Community Justice Authorities (CJAs) in the manner they carry out their administrative functions. It is expected that the powers of direction under 2(10)a would be particularly relevant in the following areas:

  management and reporting of performance – directions could be used to establish consistent monitoring regimes which will provide data comparable across CJAs. The bill also enables CJAs to take action where there is evidence that local authorities are failing to perform adequately, or to make recommendations to ministers concerning Scottish Prison Service performance. Directions could be used to establish those situations in which it would be appropriate for CJAs to take this action.

  sharing of information – directions would provide a means of ensuring consistency across Scotland in how information is shared between partners within a CJA. This would ensure that national organisations do not have to adapt to a variety of protocols used by different CJA areas.

Ministerial Correspondence

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reply to my letter of 12 April 2005 regarding prescription charges for cancer sufferers.

Rhona Brankin: I replied on 15 May 2005.

Ministerial Visits

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what visits were made by each minister and deputy minister between (a) 22 March and 5 May 2003 and (b) 22 March and 5 May 2004 and what visits are scheduled to take place between 22 March and 5 May 2005, stating in each case the (i) name of the minister and (ii) purpose and place of visit.

Mr Tom McCabe: I have placed the information on visits carried out by Scottish ministers between 22 March and 5 May 2003 and between 22 March and 5 May 2004 in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 36567). During these periods, Scottish ministers also attended Parliament, parliamentary committees (whose proceedings, notes etc are already attended in the public domain), political engagements, meetings with other Scottish Executive ministers and met with officials of the Scottish Executive.

  In addition, Scottish ministers attended meetings of Cabinet, Cabinet Sub-Committees, Ad-hoc Groups of Ministers, other Ministerial Groups and Cabinet Seminars. The dates of these meetings to 31 December 2004 are published on the Scottish ministers’ area of the Scottish Executive website. In the future, dates of these meetings from January 2005 will be published on the website on a regular basis. (Please use the link below to access the website.) http://sh45inta/about/FCSD/CabSec/00014944/page1425518831.aspx.

  The Executive does not generally publish details of current ministerial engagements. However, we intend to routinely publish retrospective information about recent ministerial engagements through our publication scheme maintained under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

NHS Expenditure

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much the NHS has spent on capital equipment since 1990 in (a) cash and (b) real terms, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Andy Kerr: The NHS expenditure on Capital Equipment since 1990 in (a) cash (b) real terms is shown in the following tables. This is broken down by NHS board from 1993 but we are unable to provide the break down for earlier years.

  

(a) Cash Terms
1990-91(£000)
1991-92(£000)
1992-93(£000)
1993-94(£000)
1994-95(£000)
1995-96(£000)
1996-97(£000)


Argyll and Clyde
 
 
 
3,740
5,227
3,138
1,452


Ayrshire and Arran
 
 
 
2,077
1,955
2,219
1,172


Borders
 
 
 
1,331
549
847
641


Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
1,114
1,243
647
1,444


Fife
 
 
 
4,565
934
1,705
826


Forth Valley
 
 
 
1,380
2,006
929
1,209


Grampian
 
 
 
1,233
3,716
3,649
3,891


Greater Glasgow
 
 
 
3,114
12,098
10,651
8,040


Highland
 
 
 
1,186
2,390
1,172
2,058


Lanarkshire
 
 
 
3,910
6,152
4,944
4,546


Lothian
 
 
 
4,504
7,143
5,568
2,668


Orkney
 
 
 
273
226
212
183


Shetland
 
 
 
284
436
12
24


Tayside
 
 
 
5,561
4,466
4,312
3,851


Western Isles
 
 
 
674
353
560
575


Specials
8,422
9,554
1,662
28,495
8,693
1,748
949


Total
32,302
68,615
50,479
63,441
57,587
42,313
33,529



  

(a) Cash Terms
1997-98(£000)
1998-99(£000)
1999-2000(£000)
2000-01(£000)
2001-02(£000)
2002-03(£000)
2003-04(£000)


Argyll and Clyde
1,171
1,671
692
3,188
2,552
1,263
1,679


Ayrshire and Arran
1,571
2,433
1,458
3,846
3,184
2,690
2,904


Borders
162
456
274
455
966
1,423
681


Dumfries and Galloway
475
579
374
542
1,412
601
1,000


Fife
763
951
773
1,624
3,620
484
3,154


Forth Valley
674
555
531
935
1,559
2,170
769


Grampian
1,147
3,867
2,475
6,374
6,920
5,578
4,545


Greater Glasgow
3,054
3,547
2,109
6,216
8,161
4,743
1,866


Highland
725
747
1,122
2,366
3,413
1,051
1,888


Lanarkshire
1,820
4,117
2,118
13,665
12,833
3,868
2,539


Lothian
3,303
2,559
1,954
6,335
16,933
21,796
3,829


Orkney
162
266
122
764
113
180
307


Shetland
123
53
250
932
148
288
270


Tayside
2,391
3,050
900
1,855
3,276
4,387
3,250


Western Isles
914
171
505
783
1,494
772
888


Specials
1,090
2,162
1,723
5,053
7,545
22,417
21,059


Total
19,545
27,184
17,380
54,933
74,129
73,711
50,628



  

(b) Real Terms
1990-91(£000)
1991-92(£000)
1992-93(£000)
1993-94(£000)
1994-95(£000)
1995-96(£000)
1996-97(£000)


Argyll and Clyde
 
 
 
4,804
6,617
3,861
1,729


Ayrshire and Arran
 
 
 
2,668
2,475
2,730
1,395


Borders
 
 
 
1,710
695
1,042
763


Dumfries and Galloway
 
 
 
1,431
1,574
796
1,719


Fife
 
 
 
5,863
1,182
2,098
983


Forth Valley
 
 
 
1,772
2,540
1,143
1,439


Grampian
 
 
 
1,584
4,704
4,489
4,632


Greater Glasgow
 
 
 
4,000
15,316
13,104
9,571


Highland
 
 
 
1,523
3,026
1,442
2,450


Lanarkshire
 
 
 
5,022
7,788
6,083
5,412


Lothian
 
 
 
5,785
9,043
6,850
3,176


Orkney
 
 
 
351
286
261
218


Shetland
 
 
 
365
552
15
29


Tayside
 
 
 
7,142
5,654
5,305
4,584


Western Isles
 
 
 
866
447
689
684


Specials
12,158
13,009
2,191
36,598
11,005
2,151
1,130


Total
46,632
93,426
66,561
81,482
72,904
52,058
39,914



  

(b) Real Terms
1997-98(£000)
1998-99(£000)
1999-2000(£000)
2000-01(£000)
2001-02(£000)
2002-03(£000)
2003-04(£000)


Argyll and Clyde
1,359
1,886
764
3,479
2,716
1,300
1,679


Ayrshire and Arran
1,823
2,745
1,610
4,197
3,389
2,768
2,904


Borders
188
515
303
497
1,028
1,464
681


Dumfries and Galloway
551
653
413
592
1,503
618
1,000


Fife
886
1,073
854
1,772
3,853
498
3,154


Forth Valley
782
626
586
1,020
1,659
2,233
769


Grampian
1,331
4,363
2,732
6,957
7,365
5,740
4,545


Greater Glasgow
3,545
4,001
2,328
6,784
8,686
4,880
1,866


Highland
841
843
1,239
2,582
3,632
1,081
1,888


Lanarkshire
2,112
4,644
2,338
14,914
13,658
3,980
2,539


Lothian
3,834
2,887
2,157
6,914
18,022
22,428
3,829


Orkney
188
300
135
834
120
185
307


Shetland
143
60
276
1,017
158
296
270


Tayside
2,775
3,441
993
2,025
3,487
4,514
3,250


Western Isles
1,061
193
557
855
1,590
794
888


Specials
1,265
2,439
1,902
5,515
8,030
23,067
21,059


Total
22,685
30,667
19,188
59,954
78,895
75,847
50,628



  Expenditure on capital equipment in 2001-02 and 2002-03 was higher than in previous years due to a number of major developments across NHSScotland that had a significant impact on the overall position. These included:

  
(a) NHS Lothian - The new Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
  (b) NHS Lanarkshire - The new Hairmyres Hospital and Wishaw Hospital.
  (c) Special Health Boards- 

1. The Scottish Ambulance Service upgraded its three Emergency Medical Despatch Centres.
2. NHS24 equipped three new Contact Centres.
3. Common Services Agency – investment in National IT infrastructure.

NHS Staff

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many stoma specialist nurses there are, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: As at 30 September 2004, there were 28 (headcount) Stoma Nurse Specialists across NHSScotland. The numbers per NHS board are included in the table.

  

NHS Argyll and Clyde
2


NHS Ayrshire and Arran
2


NHS Borders
1


NHS Dumfries and Galloway
1


NHS Fife
2


NHS Forth Valley
2


NHS Greater Glasgow
9


NHS Grampian
3


NHS Highland
0


NHS Lanarkshire
4


NHS Lothian
2


NHS Orkney
0


NHS Shetland
0


NHS Tayside
0


NHS Western Isles
0


Scotland
28



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  Information on staff in post in NHS Scotland is published on the Scottish Health Statistics website under Workforce Statistics, at www.isdscotland.org/workforce.

  Section E gives details of nursing and midwifery staff employed in NHS Scotland. In particular, table E18 shows the whole time equivalent (WTE) number and headcount of stoma nurses, broken down by NHS Board area. WTE adjusts headcount staff figures to take account of part-time staff. Latest available figures are at 30 September 2004.

National Health Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-4103 by Mr Tom McCabe on 26 November 2003, what guidance is available to NHS boards on applying to Scottish ministers for approval of schemes to assist eligible patients with travel expenses to access primary care NHS dental treatment.

Rhona Brankin: Any board wishing to set up such a scheme can seek guidance from the Executive.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16051 by Ms Margaret Curran on 29 April 2005, what the maximum length of time was to give substantive answers after holding answers were given in each year since 1999.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information sought could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Substantive answers are provided whenever the information requested is available. The length of time involved will depend on a number of factors.

Prescription Charges

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what concerns have been reported by (a) NHS boards and (b) patients in light of the plan to discontinue the option of supply of stoma appliances on a prescription basis directly from appliance contractors from April 2006.

Rhona Brankin: NHS boards have not expressed concerns about the future supply arrangements for stoma appliances. A number of patients and patient groups have expressed concern that they will no longer continue to receive the appliance which best meets their clinical need, that they will no longer receive support from specialist stoma care nurses, and that other services such as home delivery and flange cutting will no longer be available.

  This will not be the case. The intention is that the current level of service and supply will be maintained and improved. To that end, my officials have established an action plan for the development and subsequent implementation arrangements that will involve all interested parties, including representative patient groups. A Health Department Letter is being issued advising stakeholders about this. As part of the Plan, a National Steering Group is to be established which will also include representation from all key stakeholders, including patient interests to oversee implementation of the plan.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-16107 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 May 2005, why the Scottish Prison Service sees no benefit in making an assessment of the progress of the operation of the contract for HM Prison Kilmarnock in comparison with the financial projection contained in Schedule P to the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock .

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  It is a matter for the contractor, not SPS.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-15607 by Colin Boyd QC on 18 April 2005, whether the operators of HM Prison Kilmarnock will incur performance points under Schedule F to the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock in respect of the two admitted incidents of falsification of watch logs for failing to comply with agreed reporting procedures and, if so, in relation to which quarter of the prison’s operation.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-16479, answered on 25 May 2005.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8626 by Cathy Jamieson on 11 June 2004, how long it took for each prisoner released in error by Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd to be returned to police custody.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS is not routinely notified when the prisoner is returned to police custody. Some cases may be dealt with by the issuing of an invitation warrant where the prisoner may not be taken into police custody, so the information sought is not available.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8434 by Cathy Jamieson on 8 June 2004, how public safety or public order might be endangered by the provision of the information requested.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  It was believed at the time, given the stage of the rollout of the contract, release of this information would give opportunities for disruption.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many days of Scottish Prison Service staff time have been taken each month in monitoring the effective delivery of services by Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd to Glasgow courts, broken down by rank.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The SPS does not operate a staff time recording system so the information sought is not available.

Prison Service

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners absconded from Scottish prisons whilst on work placements or other agreed temporary leave in each year since 1999.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information requested is in SPS Annual Reports which can be found at www.sps.gov.uk. Copies of SPS Annual Reports are also available in the Scottish Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would consider an MSP representing the constituency in which HM Prison Kilmarnock is located as a "properly interested body", as defined in paragraph 29.1 of Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock .

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No, Section 29 of the Minute of Agreement between the Secretary of State for Scotland and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited for the Design, Construction, Management and Financing of a Prison at Kilmarnock specifically relates to the Monitoring and Inspection of prison premises by those with a specific remit to do so.

Prisoner Escorts

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8623 by Cathy Jamieson on 16 June 2004, whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy, suitably edited to protect security and personal data, of the results of each investigation conducted by the contract monitor into each release in error by Reliance Secure Task Management Ltd under the contract for the provision of prisoner escort and court custody services.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  No. The necessary removal of security and personal data would render the reports of such investigations meaningless as much of the reports concern these matters. The purpose of the investigations is to clarify what went wrong so that steps can be taken to try and minimise such incidents happening in the future. The SPS will shortly be providing the minister with an overview of the first year of the contract which will include material on releases in error which can be released.

Rail Network

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to provide funding for improvements to Perth train station.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is supporting improvements to Perth Station under the First ScotRail Franchise Agreement. This includes funding approximately £155,000 for CCTV and Help Points, a new interchange shelter and station clocks. There is also additional funding of £100,000 for train crew facilities.

Residential Care

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the number of Care Commission inspections of care homes.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive has no plans to reduce the minimum inspection frequency of care homes.

Roads

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce interim targets for road transport reduction or stabilisation.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is seriously considering interim targets. We will consider this issue during the development of the National Transport Strategy. The strategy is due to be finalised in the first half of 2006.

Roads

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to determine whether a pedestrian crossing should be installed at any particular location on a trunk road.

Nicol Stephen: A site being considered for pedestrian crossing facilities is assessed and designed using the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Volume 8 Section 5 Part 1 (TA 68/96), Local Transport Note 1/95 The Assessment of Pedestrian Crossings and Local Transport Note 2/95 The Design of Pedestrian Crossings . These national documents are published by the Department for Transport and provide accepted standards for assessment, design and construction for use on trunk roads.

Roads

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide rest areas and facilities along the M8.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no plans to provide rest areas and facilities along the M8. However, the existing facilities at Harthill Motorway Service Area have been recently substantially upgraded by BP.

Roads

Mr Andrew Arbuckle (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the Broxden roundabout on the outskirts of Perth where there has been a number of accidents involving heavy goods vehicles overturning.

Nicol Stephen: A study by BEAR Scotland Ltd is currently being carried out to identify any appropriate measures to improve safety and rationalise traffic movements at the A9 Broxden roundabout.

  BEAR will submit their findings and recommendations to the Executive by the end of June 2005 for consideration.

Scottish Executive

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to ensure that the Enforcement Concordat is implemented throughout its departments and agencies.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Enforcement Concordat launched jointly by central and local government in March 1998, encourages constructive relationships between regulators and the business community in enforcement matters by advocating precepts of openness, helpfulness, proportionality and consistency.

  The Improving Regulation Unit issues reminders bi-annually to all Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to encourage them to fulfil their obligations to the principles of the Concordat towards improving the regulatory and enforcement environment for business in Scotland.

  The regulatory sub group of the Small Business Consultative Group is also looking at enforcement by Scottish regulators as part of its general look at aspects of the regulatory environment.

Scottish Executive Staff

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff have been appointed to oversee the work of the task force charged with the regeneration of Moray’s economy.

Allan Wilson: The Task Force Project Team, announced by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in March, is being recruited by Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The team will work with Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise to develop and progress a Strategy and Action Plan for the future direction of the Moray economy.

  The Local Enterprise Company is already undertaking the first stages of this work, including a public consultation process.

Shipbuilding

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the (a) UK Government and (b) European Commission regarding the use of state aid for shipbuilding in (a) Scotland and (b) other European countries and what the outcome was of such discussions.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive ministers and officials are in regular contact with UK counterparts on matters affecting shipbuilding, including state aid. Scottish ministers maintain an on-going dialogue with the relevant UK Ministers to discuss all issues affecting the shipbuilding industry. Officials represent and promote Scottish interests on the DTI UK Shipbuilding Forum and its sub-groups. In these meetings, and through the on-going regular interfaces, the question of State aids to shipbuilders is addressed both EU wide and domestically, the latter within the context of the MOD Defence Industrial Strategy and the existing state aid frameworks. Scottish ministers do have regular meetings with their counterparts in the European Commission to discuss a range of issues including state aids.

  As such discussions are general, and on-going, it is not possible to list the outcomes.

Wildlife

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimates have been of the total deer population on the island of Rum in each year since Scottish Natural Heritage has had ownership of the island.

Lewis Macdonald: Monitoring of all forms of wildlife on the Rum National Nature Reserve is an operational matter for Scottish Natural Heritage.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Building

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many snagging faults have been reported in Holyrood and, of these, how many remain unresolved.

John Scott: Over 33,000 snags in total have been reported at Holyrood and, since the Royal opening of the building in October 2004, that figure has been reduced to 950 to date.

Parliamentary Building

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the time limits are for remedying snagging faults in Holyrood.

John Scott: Remedial works on all snagging and emerging defects at Holyrood require to be completed within 12 months from the practical completion of the project.

Parliamentary Building

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how snagging faults in Holyrood are prioritised to ensure that potentially hazardous snagging is dealt with speedily.

John Scott: Any snags or emerging defects which are confirmed as being a health and safety concern, or critical to the Parliament business operation, are addressed as priorities. In certain circumstance, the initial remedy could take the form of temporary works to make the area safe, if a permanent solution is not practical immediately.

Parliamentary Building

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how reports of snagging issues in Holyrood are logged and prioritised.

John Scott: Snagging items were initially identified by the Design Team for Trade Contractors to remedy. Since Parliament staff moved into the building, any emergent defects are logged with the Facilities Management (FM) Help Desk, categorised by FM and the Holyrood Project Team and instructed appropriately for action.

Parliamentary Building

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider appointing a specialist team or official to manage and resolve outstanding snagging issues around Holyrood.

John Scott: It is the responsibility of the appointed Design Team and Construction Managers to manage and resolve outstanding snagging issues. In view of the good progress being made, it is not envisaged that any separate additional appointments will be necessary.

Parliamentary Staff

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer whether additional security personnel will be required to ensure that there is sufficient cover available to enable staff to take lunch between 12.00 noon and 2.00 pm each day.

George Reid: In order to ensure that a safe and secure environment is always maintained throughout the Parliament, it is not possible to allow all staff access to a lunch break between 12 noon and 2.00pm each day. It is particularly difficult on business days when more posts have to be covered and when business continues beyond 12 noon which means many more staff must have their break scheduled into a shorter period. In order to accommodate all staff, lunch breaks start at 11.30am with the final breaks at 1.30pm so that all have access to the restaurant which serves lunch until 2.30pm.

  The staff who are scheduled for a one hour lunch break from 11.30am are normally those employed on shift work contracts and they receive a further one hour break before the end of their 10 hour working day. Between eight and 12 staff are scheduled for lunch at 11.30am each day and since breaks are organised on a rota basis the same staff are not affected every day. If all security personnel were to have lunch between 12 noon and 2.00pm then additional staff would be needed but they would be surplus to requirements outwith that two hour period.

SPCB Question Time

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it has proposed a date for the next SPCB Question Time and, if so, what that date is.

George Reid: I can confirm that the proposed date for the next SPCB Question Time is 2.15pm on Wednesday 15 June 2005.